Tag Archives: fire safety

General Safety Issues, Home Safety Products

4 Important Reasons for having a Fire Extinguisher in the Home

March 29, 2019 Gary

Did you know that there’s been 355,400 home fires between 2012 and 2016? These fires caused 11,670 injuries, 2,560 deaths, and $6.5 billion in damages. Only 75% of homes own a fire extinguisher, that when used correctly, could make the difference between a small flare-up or extensive damage and injuries.

Now, let’s look at 4 important reasons for having a fire extinguisher in the home.

1. Cooking Fires are a Large Cause of Injuries
About 65% of home fires were from home cooking. More than half of cooking fire injuries happened when people tried to fight the fire themselves.

The type of fire extinguisher for the kitchen are either a combined A-B-C Class, or a specific one like K Class for grease and oil fires. These are best stored on a wall or under the sink for easy and quick access. Don’t mount it next to the stove, you don’t want to reach through the flames to grab it.

2. The Garage is Where the Majority of Fires Start
The garage can hold some pretty flammable material – paint, gasoline, solvents and other hazardous items. For many homes the garage is where the washer and dryer are located as well. Over 93% of home fires started in the garage and accountsfor an average of 30 deaths a year and are the most destructive.

The best type of extinguisher to keep in the garage is again a combination A-B-C class. Get the largest size you can handle easily to help extinguish larger fires or in a bigger space. Remember to store it in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and heat sources.

3. You need Clear Escape Routes
You and your family should have an escape route plan in place for any time there’s a fire. It’s best to have several alternate routes in case of fire obstruction.

Next, you should have one extinguisher on each floor of your home to help clear your escape path. Remember to keep the extinguisher free of clutter, you don’t want to be moving stuff in order to reach it. Don’t try and fight large spreading fires – a good rule of thumb is if the fire is taller than you, it’s best to get out another way.

4. Sources of Heat are High Risk Areas
What do I mean by “sources of heat”? Here’s a few:
⦁ Fireplace
⦁ Wood or Pellet stove
⦁ Laundry room (dryer)
⦁ Electrical Panels
⦁ Furnace

The combination of electrical parts and heat is a sure opportunity of a fire happening. Again, do not store them right next to the heat source, at least 30 feet away is a good gauge for safety.

Conclusion
Everyone should learn how to use a fire extinguisher properly and efficiently, otherwise you defeat the purpose of owning one.

Remember though, these fire extinguishers work best on contained fires – a cooking pot, a wastebasket, an appliance, and such. Fires spread quickly, so if a fire is spreading quickly in your home, it’s best to get out quickly and wait for the fire department.

For more information on fire extinguishers or fire safety contact us – All Florida Fire Equipment.

About the Author:
Tracy Stine is a freelance writer, an online sign language tutor, and a disability advocate.

For more information on fire extinguishers or fire safety contact – All Florida Fire Equipment.

General Safety Issues

Workplace Hazards: What to Look For and How to Mitigate Them

March 12, 2019 Gary

Ian Brough, Managing Director at Building Interiors highlights some of the potential risks and how businesses can better protect employees

If you look around your office right now, can you identify any hazards? If you answered no, you are no different to the majority of employers and employees.

In reality, however, all work spaces have the potential to present risks to health and safety, from slips and trips to fire hazards and even the computers you work at.

Below, I highlight some of the main threats to employers and employees, how you can spot them and what you can do to improve workplace safety.

1) Slips and trips

This is one of the most common factors in workplace injuries and they are usually caused by human error. Some of the things that cause slips and trips include:

WW
Floors left wet from cleaning
Loose doormats, rugs and carpets
Electrical cables
Uneven surfaces
Objects left in doorways

To overcome these hazards, consider employing cleaners out of work hours or, if not possible, ensure they leave out “wet floor” signs to warn employees.

Doormats, rugs and carpets must be secure and trailing electrical cables tied together and, if crossing over a doorway, placed under a tidy.

Uneven surfaces should be clearly marked, and a bit of good housekeeping ensures that items are not left in doorways or places where they present a trip hazard.

2) Fire safety

A fire inside any business can be catastrophic, let alone deadly, so it is important to ensure that you have the correct safety procedures in place.

These are some of the key hazards to be aware of:

Overheated electrical equipment
Gas hobs, matches and lighters
Smoking
Sources of fuel (paper, packaging, etc)

The most effective way of preventing electrical equipment from overheating is to ensure that is it turned off at the end of the day. This also helps your business be more energy efficient.

Be mindful of gas hobs being left on and ensure that matches and lighters are stored safely and are not left near flammable materials.

Smoking should be banned from inside any workspace and, again, good housekeeping ensures that sources of fuel (paper, cardboard, packaging) are properly disposed of.

It goes without saying that fire exits should not be blocked at any time, and you should hold regular drills to ensure employees know how to evacuate the building in the event of fire.

3) Electrical hazards

Electricity presents one of the greatest risks to employees, and while you may not work with it directly the chances are the equipment you need to carry out your job is powered by it.

To ensure employees are protected, be mindful of the following:

Damaged cables
Overloaded sockets
Electrical equipment near water
Equipment being used incorrectly

Of course, any office space in the UK should undertake regular portable appliance testing (PAT) to ensure that all electrical equipment is safe to use.

4) Display screen equipment

Falls, fires and electrical faults may seem like common health and safety issues, but a less obvious workplace hazard is the computers, smartphones and screens used by staff.

Potential issues presented by employees spending excessive amounts of time working from screens include:

Repetitive movement
Screen glare
Poor posture
Long periods of inactivity

To overcome this, it is important to educate employees on good posture and how to set up their desk, chair and computer so that they adopt the best position.

Employees should also be allowed to take regular breaks and perhaps even encourage staff to exercise from their desks.

These are just some of the main workplace hazards, but by undertaking the solutions suggested above you can greatly mitigate risks to employees.

General Safety Issues

CONVERTING A LOFT? READ THROUGH THESE SAFETY TIPS BEFORE YOU BEGIN….(GUEST POST)

April 12, 2014 pat brownlee

Converting A Loft? Read Through These Safety Tips Before You Begin…

Converting a loft can substantially increase both the value and size of your home. But it’s important to adhere to all building regulations as you go through the process. Simply Loft Ladders offers advice on what you need to know.

A loft conversion is a home improvement that’s fairly easy to execute and also boost’s the equity of your property as well. In addition to following the guidelines of the building regulations, it may be necessary for you to get permission first in order to convert it, although this usually only pertains to listed buildings. Talk to your local city board whether you need permission to convert a loft. Building regulations are the least accepted standards with regard to design and construction regarding loft conversions. Here are the five primary categories they fall in:

1. Fire Safety

Naturally, fire safety is a crucial aspect relative to any converted loft. Therefore, the building regulations are as follows:

– The newly installed walls and floors must be able to resist fire for a minimum of 30 minutes. Also, any door panel that’s glazed should employ fire-resistant glass.

– All loft conversion plans must include a self-closing fire door.

– You must incorporate a plausible escape route in case of fire.

– Every room in the new loft must include a proper escape window which adequately meets the minimum requirements of 18in. x 18in.

– The new loft must have standard fire alarms properly installed throughout.

– The escape window must be easily accessed from the outside with a ladder.

2. Structural Stability

– You must install steel beams in your new loft in order to support the joists.

– If your new loft is intended to be used for anything other than simply storage, it’s required that you install new ceiling joists.

– If your new loft is going to be used as a standard living area, then it must be built to spec in order to support a great deal of weight. Therefore, the building regulations demand that the load-bearing walls and joists are strong enough to handle that level of weight.

3. Loft Staircases

The staircase in your loft is one of the most important features of your newly converted loft, so it’s important that it’s safe.

– Although there isn’t any standard width that your loft staircase must meet, ideally it should be wide enough to ensure everyone’s safe passageway should there be any kind of an emergency. As a result, the width should be a minimum of 2ft.

4. Loft Insulation

– The building regulations of every loft conversion states that it must by completely insulated, including each internal wall.

5. Loft Ventilation

– Newly converted lofts are required to incorporate background and rapid ventilation, which indicates they are required to have a window that equates to 1/20th in size of the entire floor area.

– The roof in the new loft must be properly ventilated in order to prevent condensation.

– The insulation and roof must have at least 2in. of air space in between them. This does not apply to older properties where there isn’t any roofing felt.

– If you intend to install a new bathroom, you must also install mechanical ventilation.

Follow these guidelines to ensure your new loft is safe as well as beautiful.

Submitted by Phillippa Carr, a freelance writer, who has published articles on property renovation, home design, and DIY, and currently represents chcbuild.co.uk.

Eye Protection, First Aid Safety, General Safety Issues, Head Protection

SIGNAGE AND ITS IMPORTANCE IN THE WORKPLACE (GUEST POST)

February 18, 2014 pat brownlee

As an employer, health and safety has to be at the forefront of everything you do. All employees must be kept away from potentially dangerous situations in the workplace, and one of the most important ways in which any company can do this is through appropriate signage.

Think about your workplace. How many signs do you pass daily, be it directing you towards one area of the building, prohibiting entry from other areas, or instructing you on how to avoid injuring yourself? There can be literally hundreds, but as an employer, which ones do you need to use in order to protect yourself from potential health and safety breaches?

Warning Signs

Although the name seems self explanatory, warning signs can encompass anything that makes employees aware of possibly dangerous or hazardous equipment. This can include high voltage electrical equipment, flammable items, trip warnings, asbestos danger, and low ceilings. Essentially anything that might cause injury needs to be pointed out to safeguard the well-being of employees.

Access Signs

In the workplace access signs can be very important in ensuring safety. Be it a No Entry sign, a Pedestrian walkway sign, or a Keep Clear sign. They are paramount to minimizing potentially dangerous situations and confusion in order to uphold general health and safety practice.

Fire Safety Signs

One of the biggest dangers in the home or in the workplace comes in the form of fire. Fire can strike at any time, and without proper procedures in place, and the proper signage to indicate where employees should go or not go in order to stay safe in the event of a fire, the consequences can be fatal. As such signs indicating where fire exits can be found, indicating that fire doors are to remain shut, and detailing general fire safety regulations are a legal requirement in any place of employment. There are also no smoking signs, which are of course essential inside buildings but also in the proximity of flammable substances to prevent potential combustion.

Other Safety Signs

Aside from the obvious there are a number of other signs that are an absolute must to safeguard the well-being of employees. Any area that requires specific protective headgear, eye-wear, or hearing protection should be indicated, as well as the location of first aid kits, non smoking areas, and recycling or waste disposal areas.

In general, signage can make a big difference in the workplace, and protect employees. However, correct signage also operates as protection to employers from any potential legal action owing to injuries incurred, and removing possible liability for those injuries. As such the importance of having the correct safety signs cannot be underestimated.

Guest post provided by UK Safety Store.

First Aid Safety, General Safety Issues

QUICK TIPS TO HANDLE FIRE ACCIDENTS AT YOUR WORKPLACE (GUEST POST)

November 12, 2013 pat brownlee

“Safety never takes a holiday”. Truly, safety is the most important aspect of our lives. Following safety procedures is everyone’s responsibility. Can you imagine a day when someone knocks your door to inform that your loved one is in hospital in a serious condition, as the result of an accident? This is really heartbreaking news. Most accidents happen because they have not been prevented. So, taking health and safety training is very important to lead a safe and happy life. Employers must pay a lot of attention to manage health and safety at work to prevent accidents and ill health.

Fire accidents can strike anywhere and at anytime. Employees should undergo basic fire safety training because these accidents are expected to occur annually in most workplaces. Having ideas on fire safety tips is very important so as to prevent the likelihood of a fire that may result in injury, property damage or even death. There are many safety tips that employees should keep in mind which help them while fire accidents. Some of them are as follows:

After noticing a fire, you should immediately call to a fire department. The sooner they come to know the faster they approach
Employees should know exactly where the fire extinguishers are located, as well as how to use them
Shout for help loudly
Keep in mind that you should not use elevators during fire accidents. This is because if the power fails, you are stuck in the elevator with no means of escape
If you find any papers or any other clutter lying on the floor, immediately throw them out as they spread the fire more quickly
If your building is in fire check, you need to check before opening. If you feel any heat, then do not open that door
Switch off all the electrical appliances
Do not disturb the fire team during fire fighting
Do not form into groups because it is difficult for the fire fighters to perform their tasks

Health and safety training effectively prevents the workplace accidents and injuries. Today, most of the business organizations are providing the best safety management systems as they understood the significance of the health and management that leads to:

Cost reductions
Improved employee relationships
Improved public image
Increase in the business productivity and reliability

Fire accidents are extremely deadly if you do not take proper precautions. As a business manager, you need to set up the health and safety notice board and keep it updated. Organize these health programs for your staff to reduce the hazards at your workplace and develop a safety action plan.

Author Bio: – Melvin is a medical student and is pursuing a firstaid course Glasgow. Apart from his studies, he likes to invest his time visiting patients in hospitals and clinics. He also likes to make general awareness on keeping health fit through his posts.

General Safety Issues

FIRE SAFETY – FIVE THINGS YOUR OFFICE SHOULDN’T BE WITHOUT (GUEST POST)

February 8, 2013 pat brownlee 1 Comment

Fire escape routes

Every workplace needs to have a clear and safe fire escape route. A diagram of the office should be drawn up, highlighting the locations of fire escapes as well as the best escape routes. Note that elevators shouldn’t be a part of your emergency escape plans. A meeting zone outside the building should be designated where everyone can assemble. Managers should be assigned to perform headcounts in this meeting zone. Finally, don’t forget to carry out regular fire drills so your employees become familiar with the evacuation routes and procedure.

Sprinkler Systems

Automatic sprinklers are highly effective at eliminating fires in large office spaces. They are triggered by extreme heat and so are quick at detecting fires, ensuring that staff can evacuate safely. Sprinkler systems can also activate a remote alarm which notifies the local fire services. As well as being highly reliable (with an estimated success rate of over 95%), sprinklers also have the benefit of being relatively cheap to maintain. Sprinklers should not be overlooked!

Fire Extinguishers

If a fire develops in the workplace, generally the best course of action would be to evacuate the building and let the emergency services deal with it. However, if only a small fire breaks out you should be able to eliminate it with an extinguisher. Ensure that the extinguishers are within easy reach and that different ones are available for different types of fire. Offices tend to be packed with electrical equipment such as computers and monitors – if these catch fire your best option is a CO2 extinguisher. For fires involving solid materials such as fabric, wood or paper, use a water fire extinguisher. Foam extinguishers can protect against material fires as well as fires involving flammable liquids.

Fire Blankets

Fire blankets are often overlooked in the home, but in offices they are essential due to their many uses. They are best kept in workplace kitchens to combat small fires that may break out, and can sometimes save you from having to use an extinguisher. In the event of someone catching fire, you can wrap the blanket around them and get them to roll on the floor to extinguish the flames. Fire blankets can also be used as a protective shield during an escape where flames are in the way.

Exit signs

The importance of a simple fire exit sign should not be underestimated. Office staff may be familiar with the workplace layout, but during a fire it can be easy to forget due to panic, especially in large multi-storey office buildings. The arrows on fire exit signs show the quickest way to safety and could prevent your employees from being trapped inside the building. If your office does not have emergency lighting installed, luminescent exit signs should be used. Remember, it is also mandatory to have signs placed on top of fire exit doors.

This blog post was written by Hassan Ali who works for Ardent, a UK based company who are specialists in fire suppression systems.

First Aid Safety, General Safety Issues

WORKPLACE SAFETY MANAGEMENT: WAREHOUSE INSPECTION CHECKLIST FOR YOUR BUSINESS (GUEST POST)

January 28, 2013 pat brownlee 2 Comments

Adversaries of comprehensive warehouse safety programs argue that they pose too great of a demand on current employees, create a potential need for dedicated personnel, and leach off of resources needed for more imminent, tangible tasks. Seeing is believing; therefore, reactivity typically takes precedence over proactivity since well-defined tasks pose a sense of urgency. Nonetheless, such proactivity could prevent both tragic consequences to affected parties in an accident and crippling financial liabilities to a company that has neglected to enact and sustain safety protocols. Formulating a checklist and routinely assessing compliance to established standards is a relatively effortless way to ensure that safety is paramount to your warehouse.

Personal Safety

Proper training, visual graphics, first aid supplies and communication are paramount in ensuring that people—personnel or customers—are sufficiently advised of potential hazards. As Voltaire said, “common sense is not so common”: stating the obvious is the best way to protect others, as well as yourself.

• Clean all spills immediately upon their occurrence and/or use proper hazard cones to ward individuals away from the area. One of the most common causes of accidents results from unattended spills.

• Designate pedestrian walkways as well as areas that people are prohibited to walk, unless authorized.

• Use appropriate signage to instruct people of the following: directions throughout a warehouse, hazard symbols, forklift traffic, gantry cranes, and requirements for moving heavy items. This list is not all-inclusive since it varies by warehouse to warehouse, but it targets common issues.

• Use proper methods for retrieving items high in warehouse racking (e.g. forklift) and do not allow persons to climb the racking.

• Maintain accessible safety equipment (safety glasses, eye wash stations, respirators, etc.) in required areas.

• Use proper “Exit” signs and require that all persons use man doors, instead of walking under open garage doors.

General Safety Issues

FIRE SAFETY MEASURES FOR A SAFER WORKPLACE (Guest Post)

July 9, 2012 pat brownlee 1 Comment

Today’s safety message comes to us from across the Ocean, from U.K. Fire Safety Solutions.

Health and safety in the workplace should be a top priority for any business, keeping your staff, customers and any other visitors safe on your premises is very important. The Fire Safety Regulation Reform Order has legislations in place that you must comply with as a business owner.

One of these legislations is that you must perform a regular fire risk assessment on your premises; a fire risk assessment is a vital procedure towards keeping a safe working environment. It is the most effective way to identify any potential fire risks on your premises, eliminate them then maintain the work you have done.

The law does not state who must perform an assessment only that the individual is a competent individual, this allows you to perform the assessment yourself or hire a third party fire consultant to do it for you. If you wish to perform your own fire risk assessment it would be beneficial to read up about it online. There is lot’s of informative websites which also offer fire risk assessment downloads such as checklists and forms to help you through the process. You can also purchase fire risk assessment software that will give you the information you need as well as running you through a full, step-by-step risk assessment.

Things you must consider when performing a fire risk assessment:

Identification is key when it comes to preventing fire hazards, you must ensure to review your whole premises by hand to maximize the results of the risk assessment. The more thorough you are the less likely it is to miss a fire risk in your workplace. When identifying fire risks it is always good to consider the three elements that start a fire: heat, oxygen and fuel.

Always consider individuals who may be at particular risks, these are the people most in danger, For instance – Anyone using highly flammable chemicals or liquids in an area high in oxygen is at particular risk.

When you feel your whole workplace has been covered you must assess any risks that have been found and take action in removing them. Sometimes it is difficult to completely remove any threats so you must implement some form of fire precaution to protect against hazards.

Another vital part of an assessment is to record the full process, by doing this you have written proof that you are complying with the fire safety law but it also makes it easier to manage your workplace fire safety. You can inform all staff members of what was carried out and make everyone aware of any specific duties they must carry out.

Review your assessment on a regular basis; provided that you have recorded your fire risk assessment correctly it should be easy to review your workplace following your old notes. You should check that any implemented precautions are still in place and that removed fire hazards have not risen again. As you have your old notes it should be easier to spot any new fire hazards too.

By following these simple steps you are taking great leaps towards creating a safer working environment for you and your staff. If you would like anymore information or help with fire safety and/or fire risk assessments then UK Fire Safety Solutions can help, they are professional fire consultants with years of experience in the sector having spent time serving as fire safety offices in the fire service.

General Safety Issues

COMING ATTRACTIONS FOR OCTOBER SAFETY!

September 30, 2010 pat brownlee

Can’t believe this is the last day of September! I hope the days are getting a little cooler where you are, and that you are enjoying crisp, cool mornings!

There are so many safety topics that we will cover in October. Because October is Fire Safety Month, and Fire Prevention Month, we will be talking about many of the ways that we can make our homes and workplaces “fire-proof.”

October is Animal Safety and Protection Month. As an animal lover, it is particularly important to me that we all keep our pets as healthy and safe as possible.

National Cyber Safety Awareness Month is observed in October. We all have heard of the horrible things that can occur because of persons that abuse the use of computers to do things that are unspeakable. Whether it is personal identity theft, or harrassment, using a computer as a tool to harm others is unacceptable.

Another observance for October is Helmet Safety Month. We talk a lot about the dangers of sports activities and work duties that are involved when helmet or hardhat is not worn. Please be sure your kids wear those helmets when riding their bikes to school!

I think there’s even a Drive Safely Work Week in October, so looks like I have plenty of work ahead of me!

A very important occasion for families is Halloween, especially if there’s little spooks involved. Start making your plans now for a safe one for all concerned. Map out the route you plan to take the kids, and go with them on that busy night.

Until tomorrow, enjoy your last day of September, 2010.

Work Safety Blog

Tag Archives: fire safety

4 Important Reasons for having a Fire Extinguisher in the Home

Workplace Hazards: What to Look For and How to Mitigate Them

CONVERTING A LOFT? READ THROUGH THESE SAFETY TIPS BEFORE YOU BEGIN….(GUEST POST)

SIGNAGE AND ITS IMPORTANCE IN THE WORKPLACE (GUEST POST)

QUICK TIPS TO HANDLE FIRE ACCIDENTS AT YOUR WORKPLACE (GUEST POST)

TOP TWENTY-FIVE SAFETY ARTICLES OF THE WEEK: MARCH 1 (GUEST POST)

Home Safety

Family & Child Safety

Senior Safety

Online & Data Security

Work Safety

FIRE SAFETY – FIVE THINGS YOUR OFFICE SHOULDN’T BE WITHOUT (GUEST POST)

WORKPLACE SAFETY MANAGEMENT: WAREHOUSE INSPECTION CHECKLIST FOR YOUR BUSINESS (GUEST POST)

FIRE SAFETY MEASURES FOR A SAFER WORKPLACE (Guest Post)

COMING ATTRACTIONS FOR OCTOBER SAFETY!

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